Pretty Baby
by NottheTypicalPairing
Summary: Established Tabby. My first fic, so be nice! Abby and Tony have been dating a year now, but this relationship is different. How will Abby react when Tony shows her the unexpected gift he got her for their anniversary? K  for innuendo. Please excuse typos!


**"Abby!"**

Abby halted. She had just finished summarizing her findings to Gibbs. He had stuck Tony with desk duty while David and McEager-to-Please followed their own leads.

"Yes, Tony?"

"Do you mind, um, staying for a bit?"

"Well, I`ve got to run that print through AFIS, and then I have to analyze my ballistics report from last Saturday for the hearing tomorrow. After that, we could talk..."

"Abs, it`ll take two seconds. And a half. No, don`t time me, Abby!"

"Chillax DiNozzo. You have been acting strange all morning. I guess I could stay, but I`m getting mighty thirsty, Love bug. Do you have any Caf Pow! I might be able to have?

"Wow. All this talk of caffeine and sentimental conversation is getting me hot. I have 5 dollars for two Caf Pow!`s, but you have to promise that what I show you won`t make you laugh..at…me..."

Abby knew two things. One, was that one should NEVER tango with Gibbs, especially if it is over Abby. Gibbs will always win. That`s a given. That and , Tony DiNozzo never got embarrassed. This was big.

"Yeah. Sure Tony. What`s up?"

Tony paused. He wasn`t sure how he would feel if Abby didn't like this. He was so willing to give her anything that made her happy.

Dinozzo unlinked his left hand cuff and folded it down. In a small, elegant script,located on his inside wrist was a miniature version of Abby`s neck tattoo, minus the neck. It was detailed and perfect and just the right size for Tony.

Abby was shocked.

Seconds passed...

Gibbs pops out of nowhere and scolds "Dinozzo, button your cuffs, you look worse than Elf Lord. Found anything?"

Tony let out one last lingering glance at Abby which screamed '_Later_' and answered "Yeah Boss. A Ford F 150 matching the suspect`s description was found near Bethesda at 6."

"Well, go on, Investigate it." was Gibbs` thickly veiled 'thank you'.

"Yeah Boss."

**_Later_**

Abby was at his house. Sure, they`d been dating a year now, but their was something entirely alien to BOTH of them when the subject of cohabitation was brought up. That`s not to say they each hadn`t had their little flings and 'roommates', but this was a totally different sort of relationship. Feelings were involved, and they both recognized it. They had decided together that it would best to keep some part of their lives to themselves, lest they get out of the 'honeymoon' stage and run out of the proverbial fuel to their Tabby fire. Now, Abby almost regretted that decision. Almost. Simply because soon after this minute of regret and what ifs, reality set in. True, this relationship had lasted longer then all of their previous combined (and that included Jeanne and McGee), but Abby knew better than anyone the sting of shared memories when the fire ran out and it was times to pack up each other`s belongings and a period of their shared life. No, Abby certainly was glad she didn`t move in with Tony all those months ago, but now she was left wondering, why did he get that damn tattoo? She knew this was a big deal. Tony hated commitment. If it were a person he`d shoot it repeatedly. Commitment + Tony= Chernobyl. Yet, this tattoo was the most permanent thing Tony had ever purposely indulged in. And was it something related to Tony and what he cares for? It wasn`t a quote from his favorite movie, or an iconic image. It wasn`t even something random and totally unrelated to him. It was Abby`s Tattoo. ABBY`s tattoo. Her only conclusion is that maybe, Abby is something related to Tony. Someone he sees every day and maybe, Abby is something he cares for.

Tony dreaded the 10 minute drive to his apartment. Clearly, had he thought his little 'surprise' through, he would have realized it was totally stupid and juvenile and whimsical. But...he didn`t do it on a whim. In all actuality, this was the first thing Tony had considered carefully. He wasn`t being his usual self. He had put a lot of thought into his new permanent fixture. And it wasn`t stupid, he realized. Because even if Abby hated it, he still loved that he carried a piece of her with him wherever he went. Even if they broke up tomorrow(and let`s be honest, with their dating history, it`s a miracle they`ve lasted this long) , he would still love that damn tattoo because it would always be symbolic of his lasting like for . And it was lasting. He had a feeling deep within his ever protruding gut that even if he and Abby had the worst breakup in the history of ended romances, he would always...like her. And that scared him. But was it just like? That seemed inadequate. But it certainly couldn`t be lo- Nevermind. He couldn`t even think that. Because just that word in itself was bound to bring on hurt and possibly rip his fragile heart in two. Yes, Tony was always one for jokes and casual hookups, perhaps even the second-date double dip, But deep inside he was a tiny little boy. True, he had wham-bammed-and thank-you-ma`m-ed more than one could count. So why did he not crave his old life anymore? Why did he enjoy not having sex, and just watching his favorite films with his favorite lady? And she was a lady. Sure, he joked around with her suggestively, but lately that`s all it was, and those jokes remained exclusively _for her_.He, for once in his life, had a relationship that wasn`t revolved around sex, wine, and five minute conversations, and he treated his girlfriend like a _lady_. But, this was Abby he was talking about and of COURSE she should be treated this way!

The door opened. It was now or never for these two middle-aged hooligans. If Gibbs and Ziva were there, even McGee, they would definitely sense a sort of tension in the air. Not an oh-my-gosh-if-we-don`t-bang-right-now-I`ll-burst sort of tension, but an oh-wow-I-think-if-this-ends-I-might-crawl-up-in-a-fetal-position-and-die type of tension. This was a defining moment in one`s life for Anthony DiNozzo. This was a defining moment in one`s life for Abby Scuitto.

Abby and Tony stared at each other for what felt like hours. It must have been a few seconds, but boy do people not give silent conversations enough credit. But,alas, it started to get weird, so Abby,ever the silence breaker, plopped her Gothic self on the couch and smiled. Tony,relieved, returns it with one of his dazzling milliwatt smiles and follows her lead.

"Abby."

"Tony."

"How was your day?"

"It was great."

"So..."

"So, now that we`ve covered the basic level one small talk questions, can we please talk about the underlying issues?"

"Underlying issues? Abs, what are you talking about?"

"Tony, I knew something was off when you started listening to BloodSeep(A/N a fictional black throat band), and I knew you were TOTALLY messed up when you dressed in all black that one day, and now the tattoo. Clearly, you`re obsessed with me, and that`s okay. We just need to get you some help before locks of my hair go missing and you develop a creepy shrine to me. It`s great that we caught this early, and I`m flattered, really. "

"Abs, are you being serious right now?"

"Of course not Tony. I think it`s great that you did it. It`s awesome."

"So, why the face, earlier?"

She knew she had to tell him her real feelings. If he wasn`t ready to repeat it back, she just had to accept that."Well, if I`m going to be completely honest, I guess I was just overwhelmed that someone would care about me so much to have something so personal with them at all times. You getting that done just shows me how much this relationship means to you, and that made me realize how much this, _us_, means to me. I love you Tony. I have a feeling that you`ve known this for a while though."

"I figured you couldn`t resist the DiNozzo charm. Of course, no one can. I was hoping you liked it."

"Of course. Now, let`s watch a movie in honor of our 1-year anniversary. What would you like to see?"

"You pick."

They settled on "Maid of Honor" What? Who made the rule that a Goth and a Playboy can`t enjoy a stereotypical romcom about men in skirts and that chick from Eagle Eye? Soon, the movie( and night) came to a close.

Tony dropped his popcorn bowl. Flipped it over. And not accidentally,either, but Abby didn`t know that. He asked her ever so sweetly to help him pick up the lost popcorn kernels. She considered, but helped him anyways. As she was busy cleaning up a majority of those small, ear wax colored demons, Tony subtly placed a ring within her cleaning area. She picks it up,eventually, regarding it as trash, but notices the weight difference. She feels its contoured edges in her hand.

She gasps. Abby honest to goodness gasps. So, of course, because she`s Abby and everything has to be unexpected with her, she throws it in the air.

Tony grabs for it, and looks at her questioningly.

Abby laughs. A ridiculous, 'I`m so happy I might cry' sort of laugh and her eyes maybe even glisten a little.

Tony takes that as a yes and kisses her. Gently, but firmly.

"I love you too, Abs."

**Fin.**


End file.
